Folding lug wrench



March 20, 1956 o m H 2,738,694

FOLDING LUG WRENCH Filed March 17, 1953 A TTOR/VE) AYq/e B oafr/ybfINVENTOR.

United States Patent FOLDING LUG WRENCH Algie Boatright, Gary, Ind.

Application March 17, 1953, Serial No. 342,833

1 Claim. (Cl. 81177) My invention relates to improvements in folding lugwrenches and it more specially includes the features described in theaccompanying specification, claim, and shown in the drawing.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a wrench that is considered animprovement over the ordinary lug wrench which has a pair of cross armsproviding four radial socket-carrying members rigidly connectedcentrally of their length. To overcome this rigidity my folding lugwrench is a rigid arm having a wrench socket at each end and two foldingsocket-carrying members pivoted to the center of the rigid arm, a springpressed ball being provided for each pivoted member to hold the memberin either folded or extended positions.

With these and other related ends in view I show on the accompanyingdrawing such instances of adaptation as will disclose the broad featuresof the invention without limiting myself to the exact details shownthereon and described herein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a wrench and shows its four socket-carryingmembers in operative radial relation.

Figure 2 is an elevation corresponding to Fig. 1, but shows two of themembers folded parallel to two rigidly connected members.

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation partly in section of the centerportion of the wrench.

Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 3.

Wrenches of this type have been made heretofore with four radial armsrigidly held together. These separate parts are about eighteen incheslong with the entire Wrench somewhat less than three feet over all. Instoring such wrenches much space is required, because the four lengthsare rigidly connected to each other at their center.

The device exemplified in the drawing includes a generally cross-shapedmounting or body 2 having a pair of axially aligned correspondingportions 6 provided with integral corresponding tool extensions 1. Thebody also includes a pair of axially aligned corresponding portions 4provided with bifurcations 5. A pair of corresponding arms or toolmembers 3 have inner end portions 8 which are respectively pivotallysecured to the bifurcations by pivot pins 7.

In order that the user may know through a sense of feel when the pivotedtool members 3 are at right angles, or parallel to the rigid members,one corner of the inner end 8 of each member is rounded, and then thosetwo sides which form the rounded corner are each provided with a recessor notch 11, the rounded corner thus forming a finger between therecesses. One recess locates the parallel position and the other recessindicates the extended or the right-angled relation of the pivotedmembers.

More particularly in this regard, each of the portions 4 of the body isprovided with a hole within which a helical spring 10 and a ball ordetent 9 is disposed. The arrangement is preferably such that a ballwill engage either of the recesses or notches 11 provided in the innerend of "ice each of the tool members 3 for locating the latter in eitherof the positions above referred to. The pair of recesses on the innerend 8 of each membr are separated by the finger above referred to, thelatter serving to depress the ball when the arm member is swungto-either of its two positions. When the finger passes over the ball ineither direction the ball will audibly snap into a recess. The setup issuch that one arm member is limited for movement within a ninety-degreerange with respect to one extension and the other arm is correspondinglylimited for movement with respect to the other extension. Otherwiseexpressed, both arms cannot be swung toward each other so as to straddleeither one of the extensions 1.

My folding lug wrench in its folded relation saves a tremendous' amountof storage space and it becomes practical for use in automobile servicecenters, thus making possible the advantages of a four-arm wrench in anyroad use. At the outer ends of the different arms any kind ofconnections may be applied to adapt the wrench to different uses. Theymay be attached in any desired manner either by threading or otherwise.But these features are well known and do not form a specific part of thepresent invention.

Through the simplicity of the construction my adaptation of theseimprovements to lug wrenches fills a growing need for a freedom from thespace-occupying rigid arms of the usual lug wrench. The saving instorage space resulting from the ease of handling and the foldability ofmy folded lug wrench becomes a material item in the economic managementof any automobile service center.

What I claim is:

A foldable Wrench assembly comprising: a one-piece rigid mounting ofgenerally cross-shape having a first pair of axially aligned portionsprovided with corresponding extensions and a second pair of alignedportions disposed at right angles to the first pair of aligned portions,a socket formed integrally at the free end of each of the extensions,each of said second pair of aligned portions being formed to include abase wall and a pair of spaced side walls, a hole extending into each ofthe base walls, a spring-pressed detent disposed in each hole, a pair ofcorresponding separate arms each having a socket at its outer end andeach having a flattened inner end positioned between an associated pairof said side walls, means pivotally connecting each of said inner endsto said side walls for relative movement about an axis extendingtransversely through said side Walls and said inner end, each of saidinner ends terminating in transversely extending square and roundedcorners formed by a common end surface and by parallel side surfaces,those end and side surfaces forming said rounded corner being eachprovided with a recess extending radially from said pivot axis forselective engagement with the associated spring-pressed detent to holdthe arm either folded alongside one of the extensions or at right anglesthereto, said square corner and said end surface abutting the base Wallof the associated aligned portion to limit unfolding movement of the armto said rightangled position, and said square corners being spaced fromopposite sides of a transverse plane containing said pivot axes of saidinner ends, whereby each of said arms can only be folded toward theextension located on that side of said plane opposite said squareshoulder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,068,207 Torbert Jan. 19, 1937 2,465,152 Ellison Mar. 22, 1949 FOREIGNPATENTS 294,821 Italy Apr. 5, 1932 949,139 France Feb. 14, 1949

